WAREHAM — A 27-year-old Norwell man is charged with sexually assaulting a Wareham girl in her early teens he met over the Internet, police said.

CURT BROWN

WAREHAM — A 27-year-old Norwell man is charged with sexually assaulting a Wareham girl in her early teens he met over the Internet, police said.

Ryan Palmer is charged with aggravated statutory rape of a child, according to police.

Lt. Kevin Walsh, public information officer for the Wareham Police Department, said the suspect is charged with aggravated statutory rape because of the age difference between the accused and the victim.

Walsh would not release the girl's age but said she is in her "early teens." Palmer told the victim he was 21, lied about his name and was aware of the girl's age, he said.

The suspect was arrested without incident about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday when Wareham and Norwell police, along with state police, executed a search warrant at 89 Stetson St., where the suspect lives with his parents, police said.

The girl and the suspect met online on MyLOL.net, a teen dating website, then spoke on Skype, a computer software program that allows people to video-chat, according to Walsh.

The two made arrangements for Palmer to visit the girl's home in Wareham and had sexual encounters on Nov. 7 when her parents were not at home, police said.

Walsh said the girl's parents reported the sexual assault later that day to Wareham police.

He said police seized Palmer's computer and "other things" he declined to identify.

Police Chief Richard Stanley urged parents and children to use caution when using the Internet. He said there are predators lurking on the Web who will take advantage